Long-Awaited Cathedral Project Begins

The Sacred Heart Master Planning Committee was first formed in January 2013, and since that time, the committee has spent a great amount of time planning for the future facility needs of our parish and school. The Cathedral HOME Campaign officially kicked off in September 2014 in an effort to raise $10 million to fund construction of the new Cathedral, parish meeting and event center, and school renovations. Today, March 16, 2015, site work began in preparation for the building of a new Cathedral in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Construction firm, Merit Construction, brought in heavy equipment from Whaley and Sons to begin clearing the property for the placement of a new, three lane bridge. Watch the Site Work video.

The new bridge is pre-cast and will be placed in three segments over Fourth Creek at a location just north of where the current entrance bridge is located. The bridge work should be completed by the end of May weather-permitting. School renovations will begin immediately following the end of the school year in mid-May. Actual Cathedral construction will take place in the Fall of 2015.

The ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Sacred Heart Cathedral will take place on Sunday, April 19 following a special 11:00am bilingual Mass which also celebrates Cardinal Justin Rigali’s 80th birthday. Special guests for the day include Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, Cardinal William Levada, over a dozen Bishops from across the country, and Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.